Sulfur Chemistry in K/T-Sized Impact Vapor Clouds

Details Sulfur Chemistry in K/T-Sized Impact Vapor Clouds Sulfur Chemistry in K/T-Sized Impact Vapor Clouds

Feb 2003

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003icbg.conf...52o&link_type=abstract

Impact Cratering: Bridging the Gap Between Modeling and Observations, p. 52

Mathematics

Logic

Vapors, Clouds (Meteorology), Sulfur, Chemical Reactions, Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary, Guy Wires, Hypervelocity Impact, Irradiation, Kinetics, Laser Outputs, Spectroscopic Analysis, Sulfur Dioxides, Sulfuric Acid

Scientific paper

The geologic record indicates that the mass extinction at K/T boundary, 65 Myrs ago, was caused by a hypervelocity impact of an asteroid or a comet. During the K/T impact event, a large amount of sulfur was degassed from the impact site. The degassed sulfur converts to sulfuric acid aerosol and stays in the stratosphere for a long time. This reduces the sunlight significantly and leads to a mass extinction. However, if the degassed sulfur is dominated by SO3 not SO2, then the conversion to sulfuric acid aerosol occurs very rapidly and the blockage of sunlight does not last for a long time. The chemical reaction of sulfur-oxides in an impact vapor cloud, nevertheless, has not been studied in detail previously, and the SO2/SO3 ratio in a vapor cloud is yet highly uncertain. The purpose of this study is to estimate the SO2/SO3 ratio in the K/T impact vapor cloud. Here we discuss the results of calculation of chemical equilibrium and kinetics of sulfur-containing species in an impact vapor cloud as well as mass spectroscopic analysis of vapor plumes created by laser irradiation on anhydrite.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Sulfur Chemistry in K/T-Sized Impact Vapor Clouds does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Sulfur Chemistry in K/T-Sized Impact Vapor Clouds, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sulfur Chemistry in K/T-Sized Impact Vapor Clouds will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-923133